Jennifer Osufsen, Author

Many times I find similarities between my relationship with my children, and my relationship with my Father in Heaven.  Today was no exception. My two-year old stomped his chubby little feet over to me, and asked in his sweet little way for a pear.  Sounded more like, "Pay-ah."  Knowing his hunger after waking up from a nap, I obliged, hopping up and grabbing a pear from the basket. But in his wee mind, pears were in the refrigerator for some weird, irrational reason.  And when I closed the fridge door and told him to wait, he commenced Toddler Tantrum 2000.  Threw his cup, stomped his feet, cried and shrieked at the top of his lungs.  I repeated, "Jed, Mommy's cutting the pear.  It will be ready in a minute."  Nope.  He was having none of it. Until a minute later, when I handed him the bowl with cut pear slices.  Then he wiped away the tears, and toddled off, happy as he could be. While I was cutting the pears (and trying to not fillet my finger), i

This Five Questions interview features Alicia Roque Ruggieri, author of the novel The House of Mercy .  I met Alicia online in a Goodreads group, and was struck by her fervent and sincere Christian faith. I asked Alicia to tell us a little about herself.  Here's what she had to say: "Born and raised on the New England coast, I grew up breathing in the salt air, pretending I stood on the balcony of Cair Paravel. The youngest of three sisters, I’m married to a fun and furry Italian-Frenchman, and I’m also the mother of a second-hand pug with more physical and emotional problems than I have fingers! I love playing hymns and classical pieces on the piano (quite badly, I’m afraid!), sewing by hand, baking, and walks through the woods and on the beach. My two nieces and two nephews have captured my heart, and so I relish spending time with them as well. I graduated from Rhode Island College (B.A. in Mass Media Communications and History) and have had the privileg

I find it incredibly painful to be pruned.  To work so hard in my faith, to grow and produce fruit that will please my Father, only to experience something that knocks me off my feet.  I have to think that's what Jesus meant in John 15:1-2.  "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful." As a follower of Jesus, my King of Kings, I continually strive to remain close to Him in all things.  And, of course, I fail miserably because I'm still a sinful and willfully disobedient child.  But for the most part I attempt to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God, and will somehow further His kingdom. Many times, during trials in my life, I find myself asking God why this is happening to me.  What have I done to deserve this?  Haven't I been good and faithful?  (I promise, this is the part where God remin

In what I hope to become a continued feature on my blog, I'm interviewing fellow authors (both indie and traditionally published) with the purpose of getting to know them better and branch out this writing and reading tree.  Today we get to meet ... Jayna Morrow. Jayna and I share a lot in common, the least of which is writing.  She is a mother of two precious little girls, and an educator of young minds.  We both hail from east Texas and share a love of the simple life.  I have enjoyed reading her Sweet Home, Texas  series, an inspirational sweet romance set in the fictional town of Sweet Home. Professionally speaking, Jayna continues to make a name for herself.  As I mentioned before, she is the author of the Sweet Home, Texas series of books published by Prism Book Group .  She has also written numerous sweet contemporary and inspirational romances, contributed a short read to a Prism Book Group author compilation (A Blizzard Wedding), created several resources for

Book #2 is in the works!  A prologue and three chapters have been written so far.  Here's a little glimpse into the next installment in the Republic of Texas series. The only things Jo Camden has left in life are a tiny creek-side cottage, her father's blacksmithing tools, a horse, and burning hatred for the stepfather who ruined her life.   Cullen Miles needs a respite from the fast life in the city, and jumps at the chance to buy a smithy in the town of Coleville.  Thinking it would be the perfect asset to his farrier business, he never imagined this venture would drop an explosive former owner-turned-employee in his lap. Sparks fly as Jo and Cullen forge their relationship, both professional and personal.  When the forgotten rumors of buried treasure resurface, and tragedy strikes the town, their faith in one another and in God is taken to the breaking point. In this next book of the series, we'll get some insight into the trade relationship between Texas a

Today I'd like to spotlight another author, Debra Haagen.  She has written a book entitled "Amazing Animals by Design". John, Sarah and their parents take a trip to the zoo, and are amazed and fascinated with the animals.  Their parents and the tour guide help to explain how each animal was designed to live the way they do. This book is a great tool for teaching children about intelligent design:  God's perfect design in nature to allow animals to live and thrive in their environment.  I highly recommend it. Here's the link (not an affiliate link) to Debra's Amazon listing .  Pick up your copy today!

Howdy fans!  My first novel is now available to purchase online!  Here are some helpful links to help you purchase them. In print, you can purchase through my eStore by following this link: Mercy Springs, print edition.  Retail price $14.95 For Amazon Kindle, you can click the link below. Mercy Springs, Kindle edition.  Retail price $4.99 The book will be available in print through Amazon in 3-5 days, and I will post an update with a link to that when it becomes available.  Don't forget to leave a review on Amazon.  Happy reading! Jen

All right, here we go. 1.  I have easily read more than 5,000 books in my life so far.  That's based on an average calculation I did. 2.  I speak Spanish.  But not as well as I did 13 years ago. 3.  I can't stand crooked pictures on walls, and will straighten them no matter where I am.  Even in your house. 4.  There is always, always, always a song in my head.  Seventy-five percent of the time, it's a song I hate and only know one or two lines. 5.  I look for patterns in numbers and words.  I also read words backwards, just to see if it spells something else. 6.  I am an extreme introvert, but I'm not shy at all.  After a two hour party, I'll usually come home and fall into a coma. 7.  Every single towel in my house is folded the exact same way. 8.  I wash about 17-20 loads of laundry per week.  Hey, five kids. 9.  I have an obsession with rulers, yardsticks and tape measures. 10.  And last, but not least ... a confession that I probably shouldn&

Photo courtesy of Photobucket At first glance, my readers may think I write historical fiction.  Quite the opposite, actually. The Republic of Texas  series is set in a slightly dystopic future, taking place at the end of this century. In the middle of this century, the United States suffered an economic disintegration, known throughout the world as The Collapse.  Chaos and anarchy dominated the land for nearly a decade.  During this time, entire families were wiped out, and it was a daily struggle to survive. It was during this time that the people had no choice but to revert to a more primitive way of life.  No infrastructure meant the loss of every day necessities like power grids and a steady water supply.  Smart survivors embraced the simplicity of previous centuries.  Horse travel reappeared, and farming became a way of life.  Barter systems replaced paper currency, and precious metals such as silver and gold reemerged in trade.  However, modern knowledge didn't die

Here's a sneak peek at the back copy of my new (and first) novel. TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES In the wake of the economic disaster known as The Collapse, two countries rise from the ashes of the former United States:  Unified Socialist America and The Republic of Texas.  A NEW HOME After personal and professional tragedy, physician midwife Cora Thomas flees the Missouri District of America, seeking asylum and safety in the idyllic Texas town of Cotton Springs.  She hopes the quaint community is a new beginning, a place to heal and plant roots. A home where she is not an underground Christian living in fear for her life.   TIME FOR HEALING A logging accident leaves Cotton Springs’ prodigal son, Ben Tucker, in the care of the feisty new red-headed doctor.  The attraction is undeniable and unexpected.  But his rejection of God’s existence and Cora’s unshakable faith collide, leaving him with more questions than answers.  And a heart desperately in need of healing. N